News

Classic Country Music Artist Greenwood to Perform at Kentucky Speedway July 18

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Classic country music artist Lee Greenwood will perform a July 18 concert at Kentucky Speedway during a doubleheader race day that will feature the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series "Built Ford Tough 225 Presented by the Greater Cincinnati Ford Dealers" and the ARCA RE/MAX Series "Click or Ticket. Buckle-Up! Kentucky 150."

The well-known singer will take the track's Turn 1 concert stage in lieu of Chris Cagle, who was forced to cancel his event appearance to begin physician-ordered vocal rest.

Greenwood, 66, skipped his high school graduation to begin forging what would evolve into a long and successful recording and touring career. His inspiring signature 1985 single, "God Bless the USA," was honored as the Country Music Association (CMA) Song of the Year and helped earn him one of his two career CMA Male Vocalist of the Year Awards.

"I wrote the lyric 'I'm proud to be an American,' because I really wanted to instill the pride back in America. The song represents my family, my community and all the Americans who are proud of who they are," he said of the uplifting ballad that was voted the most recognizable patriotic song in the country.

Throughout his tenure as one of country music's most recognizable vocalists, he has won numerous accolades for his work on songs such as "I.O.U.," "Ring on Her Finger, Time on Her Hands," "It Turns Me Inside Out," "Somebody's Gonna Love You," "I Don't Mind the Thorns (If You're the Rose)" and "Dixie Road."

He is currently in the process of finishing an album of pop standards entitled "Proven," which will contain Ray Charles' classic "I'm Busted" and Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time." The collection will soon be available through his Web site: www.leegreenwood.com.

The veteran also is working on a new country album. "It will be more than a comeback album, I'm hoping to discover a new legion of fans that buy the music Keith Urban, Toby Keith, Brooks & Dunn and Martina McBride are recording," he said.

In addition to his new projects, he remains true to his All-American core by serving as the official spokesperson of Operation Never Forgotten (ONF), a national non-profit communications service that connects the U.S. military and civilian worlds through non-partisan public service announcements (PSAs).

Greenwood's Kentucky Speedway performance will be included with the price of race tickets, which are priced as low as $20.

Kentucky Speedway's third of four 2009 race weekends opens July 17 with NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and ARCA RE/MAX Series practice sessions from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Weekend tickets, new infield camping and more Big Deals can be reserved online by visiting the tickets pages of this Web site, by phone at 888-652-RACE (7223) or through the Kentucky Speedway ticket offices at 400 Buttermilk Pike, Suite 100, in Ft. Mitchell, Ky., or the Sparta, Ky., Fan Center off of Interstate 71 Exit 57 and Ky. Hwy. 35 North. Fans also can reserve tickets at Meijer stores and Tickets.com outlets.